The ranking provides an analysis of safety factors, such as violent and property crime rates per capita, in determining the cities with the lowest overall levels. For reference, "violent crime" includes assault, murder, robbery, and rape, while "property crime" includes burglary, larceny, and vehicular theft.

California proved to be the safest state in the nation, taking 11 of the top 25 cities. A suburb of one of the country's most dangerous cities landed in the No. 1 spot.

Read on for the 25 safest cities in America:

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25. Virginia Beach, Virginia

Virginia Beach, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, offers residents and visitors many outdoor and water activities.
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